Date: Sun, 08 Nov 1998 02:43:18 -0500
title: waiting (part 1)
authors: teri, ian

Teri watched the last rays of sunlight slip from the windowsil. Frustration
>and something akin to worry sat in her stomach. The Jiy, pale, rested on
>the table's center, its energy long since worn out by Teri's incessant
pacing.
>
>"Where in fuck," she whispered, "ARE THEY! GODDAMNIT!"
>
>Shinji dodged the dishcloth and winced as it slapped against the wall near
>his head.
>
>"Hey! Watch it!"
>
>Teri glared. "Where are they?" she demanded.
>
>The boy crossed his arms and tilted back in the kitchen chair once again.
>"Don't look at me, I have no idea."
>
>Teri took a deep, ragged breath. The only thing she hated more than a lack
>of indoor plumbing was waiting. She had read her favorite book... again.
>She had tried cooking, before Shinji stopped her. She had eaten nearly
>every last crumb in the cottage, and some vegetables from outside as well--
> she had waited an entire day for the group to come back. And they hadn't.
>She bit her lip and stalked over to the window again. The fingers that
>gripped the sill were white.
>
>"Listen," Shinji said, uncrossing his arms long enough to gesture, "could
>you please stop doing that? you're making me nervous."
>
>"What is else is there to do?!" she snapped, and then sighed. Relaxing her
>shoulders, she turned around. "I'm sorry-- it's just that I'm--"
>
>"Worried, i know."
>
>Her face tightened. "Worried, yeah."
>
>Shinji tugged casually on his headband and nodded.
>
>Teri smiled wryly. "I don't know how you're so calm about this. Not only am
>I bored out of my mind, but I'm starting to get really concerned-- it's not
>like them all to be gone so long.. without a note or anything."
>
>"You think I'm calm? My insides are eating me up!"
>
>"Well you dont' look it."
>
>"Aren't you supposed to be able to feel that sort of thing?"
>
>Teri tilted her head and looked at the pooped-out Jiy. "I have no clue.
>Sometimes... I really have no idea what i'm supposed to be able to do, and
>waht i'm NOT supposed to do."
>
>The chair evened out with a thud and Shinji stood. "I've got an idea to
>pass the time."
>
>Teri's eyes widened eagerly. "Dinner?"
>
>"IS food all you ever think about?!" he exclaimed, his hands in the air.
>
>"No," she replied crossly.
>
>"Let's fight!" he said, boyish eagerness lighting his face.
>
>Teri shot him a 'Were you born yesterday, do you have no common sense, are
>you totally insane and What the Hell do I look like to You" look, complete
>with raised eyebrow.
>
>"Fight?" she said levelly.
>
>"Yeah," he said. "Can't you fight?"
>
>She continued staring at him.
>
>"What?!" he demanded.
>
>"Do you have -any- brain cells left after Sullam beat the crap out of you?"
>
>The table slid across the kitchen floor. Teri unconsciously pressed her back
>against the wall. Noticing her own instinctive response she swallowed and
>inched forward.
>
>Shinji was crouched in the center of the room-- the Jiy, disturbed from its
>"nap" now floated in mid-air before him.
>
>His eyes were narrowed and he stared directly at the Jiy, which whirred
>softly in place, a bright orange color.
>
>Teri tilted her head again and ran her hands through her hair.
>
>"I've got a game," she said, adopting the 'I'm so cute and innocent'
>expression she was wont to use on occasion.
>
>Shinji relaxed his stance as the Jiy flew to Teri's hand. "You dont' want
>to fight?"
>
>"No, YOU DOLT!" she gave an frustrated sigh. "Ok, this is called Dodge
Ball."
>
>"Doduju Ball?" shinji repeated, trying to form the English word.

"Yeah, I throw the ball at you and you have to dodge it."
>
>"Oh! We used to play this in the Monastary. I'm good at this game."
>
>Teri smiled to herself.
>
>"Ok, get ready!"
>
>"Ready!"
>
>She hurled the Jiy at the waiting figure-- it flew straight towards him and
>curved as he lurched sideways-- and rebounded.
>
>Teri caught it, frowning. "I forgot about that," she said as Shinji examined
>his shoulder for imprint-marks.
>
>"It didn't hit me!" he exclaimed in surprise.
>
>"Yeah, I forgot about that... hmm. I guess the game's kinda pointless
then."
>
>"You're pretty violent, throwing it that hard in the first place!" Shinji
>teased, smiling.
>
>Teri just sighed. "I'm bored..."